1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to an exercise apparatus. More particularly, this invention pertains to exercise apparatus on which a user sits while exercising. The present invention enables the apparatus to be easily moved to a more convenient storage site and then stored in a stable upright position.
2. Prior Art
The popularity of innovative exercise equipment has resulted in significant sales of machines which enable a user to exercise in the privacy and convenience of a home. The convenience of private exercise, however, is often offset by the inconvenient size of these machines and the large amount of space which they typically occupy when stored. A significant amount of space must also be provided around the machines so that they do not strike walls, furniture, etc. when they are in use. An owner must then either dedicate space permanently to the machine and be satisfied with walking around it, or attempt to drag it against a wall or inside a storage space to keep it out of the way when not in use.
The specific type of exercise equipment which is the concern of this invention is equipment with a seat, handlebars for stability and leverage, and a platform for maintaining the equipment in a stable and upright position. The nature of this equipment is also such that it is long compared to its width and has components which extend outward from the equipment which are necessary for its use and which make it stable. The result of the physical configuration is that the equipment is difficult to move, even if there is sufficient storage space available. Further complicating the storage and transportation situation is that the machines are typically made of steel, making them heavy and difficult to drag. The equipment is also not of a type suited to rapid or complete disassembly. Thus, when a person wishes to exercise in the privacy of a bedroom, the typically limited amount of space available can rarely be set aside conveniently for exercise equipment.
Therefore, it would be an advantage over the prior art to be able to easily move the exercise equipment before and after use. It would also be an advantage if after the exercise equipment is moved, it could then be conveniently stored such that it did not require all the space typically occupied when ready for use. A further improvement would be a method and mechanism for immobilizing the exercise equipment such that it is safe to be moved to an upright position.